XIX. SERM. is a scene of probation, and the other of reward: that when the gates of life are once closed upon us, none can open but he who made them: that, as the wife man fays, there is no wisdom, nor knowledge, nor device in the grave whither we are going. As the cloud is confumed and vanifheth away, fo he that goeth down to the grave fhall come up no more. The great bufinefs of our lives, therefore, is to prepare for the end of them. It is in this world only that the good and evil have any communication with each other, for in the next, neither the felicity of the blessed, nor the torments of the miferable, will admit of any interruption. We have, as it were, but a day wherein to work out our falvation : an hour of it therefore, a minute, is too much to throw away, left the darkness fteal infenfibly upon us, the night come wherein XIX. wherein no man can work, and we be SERM. quickly fwallowed up in darkness and the shadow of death. Such indeed was the fate of the rich man in the parable: the answer which he received from Abraham muft doubtlefs have filled his heart with all the agonies of horror and despair. He begins now to reflect that, to make him still more unhappy, thofe whom he had left behind him, whom he had long loved and affociated with, would most probably follow his example, and confequently meet with his reward: a thought which aggravated his misfortunes, and inclined him, in fpite of the ill fuccefs of his former petition, to make a fecond to Abraham, and to defire him to "fend "Lazarus to his brethren, left they also "fhould come into that place of tor"ment." And this is a circumstance SERM. we cannot well pafs over without making the following reflection. XIX. How careful ought we to be in all our words and actions, to confider not only their immediate tendency and effect, but alfo the remoter and lefs vifible confequences of them. Vice and folly are not confined to the person of the offender, but reach much farther, and affect others as well as ourselves: (for, as in the body, even after the diftempered limb is cut off, the poifon may spread itself into other parts of the frame, in the fame manner) our principles and practice may not only affect us, but thofe alfo whom we are converfant with, and those who come after us fo that we may tranfmit our follies to fuch as are yet unborn, and intail our vices on the lateft pofterity. It becometh all men therefore, but above all it becometh the rich and powerful, XIX. erful, to act with the utmost prudence SERM. and circumspection; they should confider the power of their authority, and the influence of their example; that their vices are not only pernicious to themselves, but that they contribute towards the degeneracy of the age; that they may corrupt not only the present, but the rifing generation, and fpread the contagion even unto future ages. How careful therefore should they be in their conduct and behaviour in this life, left, when they go down to the grave with the rich man in the parable, they wish for fome one, but find none, who will return to their brethren, and keep them alfo from the place of torment. So ftrange and fo unreasonable was the rich man's request, that we need not wonder it was not complied with: have they not Mofes and the prophets, fays. Abra D4 SERM. Abraham? have they not all that is neXIX. ceffary for their falvation? The rich man had no reasonable anfwer to make, and therefore gives none at all, but resumes his argument, and reinforces it with, Nay, Father, but if one come from the dead, they will repent; that is, I have been acquainted with them; they have imbibed my principles, and therefore will follow my examples: I can judge of their incredulity by my own ; I know that Mofes and the prophets are not in the leaft regarded by them; that nothing, in fhort, but fome ftrange and uncommon appearance, ftriking on their outward fenfe, will have any effect, and they will not be convinced, till they are thoroughly affrighted. If one came from the dead, therefore, they will repent: a bold and confident affertion, without the leaft proof to fupport it, and |